The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-15

pot pie lust fOr mySeN. DO take OH
your overcoat and stay to dinner"
"Well, don't know. ! thought I'd
be home by dinner time"
"Oh, Hepsy won't expect you home
from town yet. You'd better stay"
"Hepsy amt there no more. She
went home two weeks yesterday. She
amt going to work out no more, she
says. I've been keeping old batch
since she left, and | don't find house.
keeping very easy work" he remark
ed, taking of his shabby overcoat,
and placing it on the back OF u chair,
then seating himself again.
Deacon Appleyard watched Miss
Marcia with admiration az she dished
the savory pot pie, mashed turnips
and potatoes. and drew from thu
oven, crisp brown and spicily fragrant,
his favorite delicacy, plummy mince
pie.
How comfortable, clean and invit.
ing was this snug, coy kitchen; how
tempting was the dinner table. How
very differnt it all seemed from the
forlorn disorder OF his own home.
How he did wish he dared-but at
this point in his reflection he was
startled from his meditation by Miss
Marcia telling him dinner was ready.
Never had the deacon more thorough
ly enjoyed dinner; the delicate chick.
EN- pie, fragrant coffee, the delightfully."-
clean kitchen, all made return to
his own home seem more desolate.
After chatting a short time after
dinner, he took his leave, carrying
with him n pleasant picture OF the
CHEEKY room, and above all, of trim
Miss Marcia with her neat, brown
calico, snowy collar, and glossy braids
OF dark brown hair.
ehas been u widower for nearly
three years. and in that time had Of
ten thought Of Miss Marcia's bright
home, and cheerful manner, and wish.
ed he dared ask her to share and
brighten his lot; but Deacon Apple
yard was one OF the most Dashful OF
men.
Report said know not how truly,
that he had never mustered courage
to refuse his first wife, who had her
self, after vigorous courtship on her
own part, proposed marriage
But after ruling him with % rod OF
iron for twenty years, she suddenly
left this world, and her husband was
still wearing rusty weed, and patient
ly bearing the loss OF his houselieeper
and companion.
That afternoon Miss Marcia sat
mendng, and musing over life and her
visitor.
"Hes a good man, but how he is
changed from what he used to be.
Well, that's the way it is with mo
suppose. Time changes us all. How
much he used to come to our house,
the fall Jonas got married. Fred APP
pleyard, Jonas Lizzie and | went to
singing school regular that winter, and
what good time we did have, ]
thought then" but blushing wildly
at the vision, her words brought to
mind, Miss Hillman reused herself
from her backward reflections, with
the remark:
81 do declare, Marcia Elillman,
you're growing more foolish every day
of your lie. What's the use of think.
ing of what might have been"
Deep down in her heart, she cherish
ed a secret unsupported by friends and |
neighbors, especially by Fred Apple.
yard, or Deacon Appleyard, a she was
generally called.
Marcia IIillman had loved him all
her life. In her girlhood there had
been brief period when she believed |
that Fred Appleyard loved her also,
but his marriage to Ellen Smith had |
rudely dspelled her love dream. She
was mistaken in taking for love only |
friendship. OF course Fred had never
loved her was her thought.
But in regard to this matter, Marcia
Hillman was greatly mistak Ell. In |
his youth he had been deeply in love
with her, but timidity had prevented |
him from making advances and per-
sistent Ellen Smith had captured him |
while his heart was still Marcia Hill.
mans.
Two weeks passed, and notwith.
standing the pleasure OF the day he |
had taken dinner with her, still Dea-
con Appleyard had not since visited
Miss Marcia.
There was first one interruption
and then another. After reaching
home that day, he resolved to call
upon her the next Sabbath, but when
the time came, his courage forsook
him.
lie plainly could not go upon an
errand on the Sabbath. He would
wait until week day furnished a
convenient excuse for calling.
The fourteenth of February dawned
bright and beautiful. Miss Marcia
was early astir and was eating break.
fast, when little Tony Thompson en-.
tered. after timid Insulating knock.